Skincare Struggles

I don’t know about y’all, but finding a skincare that works for me has been the biggest struggle! (Finding pants that fit runs a close second). My skin is sensitive (or so I thought) and it reacts in different ways. Sometimes products make it red and itchy. Some clog my pores and create texture on my cheeks. I haven’t looked into the ingredients enough to pinpoint exactly what’s causing which reaction – although I do know I cannot use salicylic acid.

In reality, our skin is sensitive to the chemicals we have been saturating it with! It’s no wonder it gets irritated. We claim to have sensitive skin when really our skin is pleading with us to take a closer look at what’s inside the bottle.

I had normal acne as a teenager, and continue to get it around that time of the month (unless I’m eating really clean). I always considered my skin as oily. Granted, I do live in Florida so a lot of that lovely natural dewy-ness is humidity, but by 3 pm my face was S H I N Y. Just like my “sensitivity” my oil glands were in overdrive after being depleted of moisture by all the harsh chemicals.

I won’t go into the products that didn’t work for me today, because I don’t want to deter you from trying them. Skincare is all about finding what works for your personal skin makeup. I will say that for best results, you should always choose products whose ingredients are good for you. Do your research!

I included Drunk Elephant in my January monthly favorites, and it continues to be a favorite every month! These products have healed my skin from within and now this is my go-to glowing skincare routine.

The Intoxicating (But Non-Toxic) Ingredient

I’ll link the Drunk Elephant website if you want to do your own digging, but the story behind the name of the brand Drunk Elephant stems from a myth. It says that elephants love to eat the fruit of the Marula tree, which then ferments in their stomach and makes them drunk! Look it up! This virgin Marula oil is a staple ingredient in the entire Drunk Elephant line. It’s high in antioxidants, antimicrobials, and fatty acids.

I really appreciate the effort its founder put into making sure ALL ingredients were safe. I encourage you to go to the Skin Deep website or similar databases and search for your skincare brand or some other popular brands. The hazard number given to most of these products is absolutely terrifying. That number equates to the degree of toxicity and cancer-causing ingredients in that product. We put this on our pores twice a day in most cases! *shudders*

There’s a good range of products to choose from, and my recommendation is to buy the “Littles” set first. This set includes 8 pieces of mini skincare essentials – perfect for trial and travel. Once I knew I liked the products I stopped using my minis so I could save them for travel! You can buy the minis in broken out sets if you run out, so you can enjoy them no matter where you are. On top of all that, I really love the packaging. It’s simple but created with hygiene in mind. If you try it you’ll understand.

They have since switched out a few products from when I bought mine…I received two of their solid face wash bars, and they swapped these for their gel cleanser. Honestly, most people would prefer a gel cleanser. It took me a bit to get used to the bars, but I do enjoy them! They also included their eye serum – which I have not tried. There are a few other products you can add in that are geared towards the needs of mature skin.

Below I’ll link what I own, but make sure to check out the whole line!

A Quick Review of What I’ve Tried

• C-Firma Day Serum – I put this on first thing in the morning after washing my face. It feels a little sticky but soaks into the skin nicely, and works as a great makeup primer!  Primed + Glowing. I LOVE multitasking products.
• B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel – I don’t use this every day, but when I do I use it after the day serum. Again, this works as a great base and doesn’t make me greasy. You can use this whenever your skin needs an extra boost of hydration. I highly recommend for those in colder/dryer climates and in the winter in general. I went to Missouri in January and it saved me.
• Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 – This one I only tried once so far. I put it under my makeup, and it melted into the skin well. I did get some little bumps afterward, so the sunscreen may have clogged them. But I haven’t gone out in the sun much to give it a fair shot. There’s a tinted version as well.
• T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum – LOVE this. It tingles a bit when you put it on, which is immediately after washing my face at night. This helps remove dead skin cells while you sleep and in conjunction with the next product, is definitely the cause of my baby-soft morning face.
• Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil – This product feels like a hug to your skin after a long day of makeup and stale office air. You can use it anywhere you have dry patches – elbow, knees, etc. I use this a few minutes after the night serum soaks in, and it’s heavenly. I will admit I feel a little bit greasy for the evening (I’m oiled up as we speak), but it soaks in overnight, leaving you fresh-faced and glowing from within.
• Lala Retro Whipped Cream – When I don’t use the hydration gel, I use this! It’s a perfect everyday moisturizer that leaves your skin soft and prepped.
• Pekee Bar – This is the solid cleansing bar. I ended up liking this a lot and will end up repurchasing. It’s gentle so it doesn’t strip the skin, but tough enough to remove makeup. I’ll be honest, one wash just doesn’t cut it removing makeup for me. This goes for ANY cleanser though. I plan to buy their Jelly Cleanser as my “first wash”, and then I’ll use the solid cleanser as the followup.
• Juju Bar – This bar isn’t for everyday use – it’s the exfoliating bar. It is gentle enough for every-other-day use. I do recommend doing this to keep your skin polished and glowing!

That’s everything I own! I hope you give it a try so you can have your own glowing skincare routine! I really encourage you to research for your own wellbeing. If you like this topic, you might also like my post on vegan and cruelty-free makeup brands. Comment down below some of your favorite products!